Variety (Jul 1944)

MISCELLANY Wednesday, July 12, 1914 Robot Menace Shatters London Legit Houses; May Resume in Provinces London, July 11. Veteran West End theatre Ob- fervors, surveying the robot debacle that has closed two dozen London shows, are now eyeing the advisabil- ity of managers resuming their pro- —duTtitms^rr-the-provlnceS;- As -many- Londoners ^'.'■-are, vacating the . me- tropolis for the safety of the coun- tryside, it's figured that this will be the best means of keeping the shows in operation. In some instances shows plan to close for short periods, until the robot menace passes, while others are going on tour for ENSA, the British equivalent of the USO-Camp Shows, in supplying entertainment for servicemen, A number of new shows dated to bow in have cancelled their pre- mieres and now plan to preem in the provinces. For one, "Tomorrow the World," a British version of the American hit that recently closed on Broadway, has been forced to drop rehearsals for its London bow-in. Of the 10 shows still running it's notable that the Windmill is still in operation. The Windmill, it will be recalled, during the dark days of the Nazi 1941 blitz alone, of all London legit theatres, survived the terrific night poundings and continued to operate. The Windmill has, cur- rently, a vaudeville revue now in its 13th year and 175th edition. Where the 1941 blitz was much more .severe, in its , intensity, the present toll in theatre closings is pointed up by the fact that now there is no telling when or where the robot bombs will fall. The previous blitz was mostly a night aft a ir, thus enabling managers to continue with matinee shows. Stars Gut Salaries Stars of a number of productions in order to keep shows running have voluntarily cut their own salaries. Bebe Daniels: for one, and Michael Redgrave, for another, reportedly slashed, their pay by $1,000 weekly to keep the legits going. Redgrave Was starred in the American hit, "Uncle Harry," and Miss Daniels was playing the Ethel Merman part in "Panama Hattie," Broadway hit of several seasons ago. Both troupes «r» robot casualties. In many cases it's reported that salaries have been cut to $50 weekly minimum plus percentage agree- ments for the performers. For the first time in the history of the West End theatre there is no musical run- ning. \ ;■; : It was figured that to keep the. shows functioning it might be advis- able for the Government to cut the admissions tax, but this was deemed inadvisable, so the matter was dropped. Typical of the downslide in busi- ness as a factor in the closings was the gross of "Arsenic and Old Lace," the Broadway hit, which, according to reports, dropped from its more than $9,000 gross to about half that figure within the period of a week. Of the seven legit; shows remain- ing—two others are housing ballet and the Windmill has the vaude re- vue—three have been having a run of from two to four years. They are "Arsenic," "Quiet Weekend," "Blithe Spirit." The others remaining are "Sweeter and Lower*," "This Was^ Woman". "While the Sun Shines" and "The Last of Mrs. Cheyney." Picture theatres haven't suffered nearly as much, though-the reports have it that they're losing about $2,000 daily in the West End,- Gracie Allen to Cover Dems Parley for NANA Hollywood, July 11. '.' of North American Newspaper Alli- ance, will attend Democratic Na- tional Convention in Chicago next week accompanied by Margaret Et- tmger and Al Jolson. Jolson goes along as observer. ; Waterfront Music Hall, Relic of '90s, in Try For Hoboken Revival Thie 1 waterfront music hall, a relic of the mauve decade, is being restored in Hoboken, N. J., where Cervantes, Skelly's and other water- front grog, parlors, which for more than a double decade catered to stag trade exclusively, are relaxing rules and will how make a pitch for femme trade, as well. The spacious backrooms wherein the o'ver-indulgers were inclined to sleep it off are' undergoing a meta- morphosis and being transformed into music halls ala the former sea- men hangouts that studded the New York side of the river on West street from the: Battery to the 50s in the gay, '90s. Show and dancing will be thrown in with suds and stronger beverages with nary a cover or mini- mum charge. With Hoboken and adjacent terri- tory full of war workers, it's been axiomatic for some time now that the gal workers are as prolific spenders as the men, and in some, cases top them. Hoboken has consistently pulled a great deal of patronage from New York, particularly the lower west side, ever since the prohibition era, when the Jersey hamlet operated on a 24-hour schedule in most .of the waterfront thirst-quencheries. Elas- ticity of local ordinance gave them the edge in those days, since law stipulated closing at midnight but neglected to specify opening hour. Consequently the joints closed on schedule, cleaned out' the bums and short-coin boys and reopened 10 minutes later, with curtained win dOws screening the 'light from the streets. Every month they took pinch, paid a nominal fine but busi- ness was seldom, if ever, inter- rupted. Proprietors reportedly amassed fortunes then and have been adding to them ever since. The new pitch via the music hall luce, will provide employment outlet for burlesque performers, striptease gals and chorines, since most of the proposed music hall cantantas will be patterned after burlesque, but kept clean so as not to embarrass the liberal gendarmerie. • • 108th WEEK! KEN MURRAY'S "BLACKOUTS OF 1944" El Capitan Theatre, Hollywood, Cal. "No comedian 1 have known in my 45 years in show business has ever received so many continuous laughs in one show as Ken Murray." W. C. FIELDS. Frances Farmer Plans Returning to Pictures Seattle, July 11. Frances Farmer was released from Steilicom hospital as cured last week, medicos stating that her "split personality" affliction is. a thing of the past. : With her mother, who has been with her at all times, she has gone to Reno to visit with an aunt, and then Miss Farmer plans.* return to ..Hollywood and pictures. ' Laemmle, Jr., Back in Pix Hollywood, July 11. After 21 months in the Army, Carl Laemmle has returned to Hollywood to resume film production. Headquarters will be set up in 'about two weeks to ready several story properties for filming under the Laemmle banner. Low Flying Over H'wood Army to Crack Down On Hollywood, July 11. Army fliers who enjoy hedge-hop ping over film studios have been warned fcy the War Department to quit their fooling or else. Studios have besn asked to..report the cutups if-they fly low enough fer their plane numbers to be distinguished, ' Orders against aerial antics were issued two years ago but have been disregarded recently. They cause heavy loss of shooting time. Lee Shubert Falls for H wood Rib Hollywood, July It, When you mention fox hunting to-Lee. Shubert, get ready to duck. Shubert is allergic to fox hunting' after a brief experience as an hon- orary rnember of the Hollywood Hills Nimrod & Ribbing club. The only fox in the hunt was Sid Grauman, whimsical fellow, who posed as a clerk in the Beverly Wilshire hotel—ovtr the phone. Paging Shubei t in the swimming pool, Grauman got him on the wire and told him about'the monthly hunt, an exclusive social function for distinguished guests, with appropriate costumes and Hollywood glamour gals fur- nished by the hotel. Shubert was in the lobby at the appointed time, arrayed in a red coat and a high silk hat and toting a rifle. WhilFHe was'waiting for the-master of the hounds-to sour.d-"Yoicks" or "Tally-ho," somebody told him he was being ribbed. Meahwhile • Grauman had made a strategic retreat,. I SCULLY'S SCRAPBOOK \ By Frank Scully Luna Park Buy Continued from page 1 changes for this season but will re- decorate next year. Lima Park was built in 1904 by Thompson & Dundy, who later built and operated the Hippodrome the- atre, N. Y. Thompson & Dundy dis- solved some years later, Thompson keeping the park. Upon Thompson's marriage to actress Mabel Taliaferro he switched into legit producing in addition to operating the Hippo- drome. Among his outstanding hits were "Polly of the Circus" and "Springtime,", both starring vehicles for his wife, and several musicals. Hit two Ways by stock market and production losses, he lost both Luna Park and the Hippodrome. • . Barron Collier, the advertising man, took over Luna some years back and operated it for 10 years. Radio-Pix Need Held Particularly Vital To " So. Pacific Servicemen By LIEUT. JOE ISRAELS, 2d, USMS (Lieut. Israels, :' veteran newsvian and author, turote the following article en route to San Francisco after a trip throuyh the South Pa- cific theatre of war. On the way he made some notes on the'amusement and radio situation for "Variety.") v San Francisco, June 27. Radio and films reach their peak importance for troop morale in the South Pacific theatre for two impor- tant reasons. First is the almost complete absence of established civ- ilization in the areas north of Aus- tralia. Hundreds of thousands of men are dumped down in jungles where before the war there was not as much as a tiny White settlement. The theatres, pubs and recreation centers of places like London, Al- giers or Calcutta are completely absent—and keenly missed. Second, the flesh USO shows have been sparse in this area. Hardly a single big name except Joe Er Brown's sThgle act has been seen out here. An occasional Class C unit of unknown names with a couple of tired girls are about all the live en- tertainment the jungle. GI's see. In- cidentally, they gripe a lot when they read about the wide travels of Benny, Hope. Jolson, etc., and they wonder why they can't travel to the South Pacific,, •..;;„■ As to pix, they are doing a mag- nificent job in the South Pacific. Theatres are plentiful and equip- ment generally good. They are among the first things moved into any new area. I have seen shows in luxurious admirals' theatres in Gua- dalcanal (sometimes double fea- tures), and I have seen them sitting on felled cocoanut logs so close to the Jap lines in Bougainville that the screen exhibited bullet holes along with the 16* mm film. « " The product reaching the area is very spotty. There will be a brief run of good news pictures followed by a couple of weeks in which noth- ing but Class C quickies, ancient horse operas and 1935-vintage fea- tures are available. Distribution of- ficials in the theatre don't know why. They take what the States send them. Bing Crosby premiere in Guadalcanal recently drew 'poor crowd. Boxing bouts at Serv ice Cen- ter same night did the business. Nevertheless, films are the only real window back into normal life avail- able to the men in the South Pacific. >'■ Sitting In the Rain Their appreciation of this is almost pathetic. I have seen 2,000 men sit undisturbed in a drenching rain for two hours to see a B picture they wouldn't have paid a dime for back home. But pix are free and'pass a few.hours. And they offer a chance to see a clean, nicely dressed Amer- ican girl. Most theatres in the big bases have the day's news read over screen mike by a local announcer before the show. Boys listen apathetically as they do to direct radio news cover- age. Sports and local U. S. news get the best response. The. armed forces' radio service, beaming most of the Shortwave news from west coast sta- tions, gives them entirely too much war. Fully 75% of the daily word- age is on detailed reports of war in all.theatres. Short of really big de- vilopments the boys don't give a darn and. would rather get some States datelines. U. S. politics also uninteresting to them. Presidential sentiment about 90% for Roosevelt. ; ;.' .''•:•;. Hollywood, July 11. Scrapbook-of-the-Monlh Awards for June as jiist announced in a mid- night communique include- v'l. To Joseph ("10 Years in Japan") Grew, who found no Jap resistance to just two things he did ,as our Ambassador to Tokio: entertaining the late Douglas Fairbanks and showing films of Bobby Jones' golfing. 2. To Leonard L. Levinson, V.M.K., and top radio scriptician, for posting this sign on some lots near the Warner studio: *" "Buy war bonds. Or buy this.property and I'll buy war bonds:" 3. To Universal for billing D. Durbin in "Christmas Holiday" in such'a -way that-even-the most disappointed could not reasonably ask for his 'money back. . ' :; -<^-'-' i 'V-v : ■:'.','•';;■■ '.<■ \ '":.'.'' 4. To Lieut. Ray LeStrange. U.S.N., who got one knee nicked in World War I, the other in World War II, and now has. got himself a. job as leg- man to Jimmy Fidler, who. will scream for having missed this one for his own column. >.'. '/;.'::■•'"' ••';. '/ '■'.„'"'■':■''''.. ' '■■":• 5. To the star, who said: "Just because I'm on the Fox lot is no reason for assuming I'm going to have a baby." _ 6. To Westbrook (Two-Track) Pegler for turning out a column 'June 11) on the subject of newspaper men's swindle sheets, with: practically no malice in it—not even against labbr or Eleanor. i.' :. '■< " ■ And In Color •;■ './;',: There was an award too for Cecil B. DeMille which got in by mistake. It was intended for the scrap heap instead of- the Scrapbook. It. seems. Cecil had thrown everything, including the old hokum bucket, and even that in three colors, into "The Story of Dr. Wassell." Those who work in the field of plausible biography can be thankful this guy never moved among them. Under his pen, Lincoln'would have come out as Dick Tracey with a dash of Capt. Marvel. It was the first time a producer had projected sex appeal into a blood transfusion. '- :'';.'-;'-..' ^ V ; :A Rebel \- J; Allen Boone, who used to manage the RKO studio in Pauline Fred- erick's era, author of "You Are the Adventure," had an adventure of his own that receives honorable mention in the awards. He was standing in front of the Mayflower Doughnut Shop watching the crowds go by . Their faces looked so much alike he" turned to~ wrrtitfr^B-dTOghTra tion. It was no change. But suddently one doughnut refused to flip, as ordered, by the conveyor-belt. Here was a doughnut trying to go the American way. Here was one trying to set up business for himself. Boone rushed into the store and said: "I want that one." - ■ "What one? We don't sell less than three." .■....".- r ^- r "Okay, two, and that one," he pointed. ■'•, "But that one's all out of shape." , . . ' .".' ;' "Yes," Boone insisted, "that's the one I want. The one that defied th« machine." .'•'•.-.. ' He ate the other two. The individualist is enshrined on his desk. They particularly don't give a hoot for the long pieces the Statesid* propaganda beams put out about how inside resistance is being devel- oped in occupied countries. I under- stand the usefulness of this in send- ing U. S. news to conquered coun- tries. But the soldier stuff should be handled separately. The Army's nightly "Home Town News"''pro- gram is good a,j far as it goes. But it's maybe a handful of trivial items from a handful of towns picked at random. The general run of soldiers and sailors would rather have their' news edited to follow, roughly, the front and split-page play of 'a major New York paper: ■;■ Radio Coverage Improved Radio coverage technically has greatly improved in the South Pa- cific since the first few months when Tokyo put the only listenabte signal into the air. The big new transmit- ters on the west coast get through most of the time. But 1 Tokyo Rose and the Tokyo "Zero Hour" are still much listened to. The latter espe- cially as it gives a full hour of un- interrupted pop music free of propa- ganda. Boys hardly notice the fact that big Stateside programs are de- nuded of their commercials: To the experienced ear it's a great improve- ment. One thing the big comics might remember in staging their studio applause, particularly when performing at big camps, is that the roar of applause is distorted and magnified over shortwave far beyond local reception at home. This makes for difficulty in picking tip thread of continuity after a belly laugh. ' _ Program makers bear down a little too heavily on jive. Just because soldiers are supposed to be hepcats doesn't mean they're all Harry James happy. More shows of Kostelarfetz, John Charles Thomas type would be welcomed, and symphonies have plenty of following, too. Local sta- tions at Guadalcanal and Noumea find NBC and Philharmonic rebroad- casts among their most popular shows and have, put in s. their own classical record hour with a !i.tcrate local announcer nightly,. 'DOC SALOMAN KILLED 'BY ENEMY ACTION' AM. "Doc" Saloman, for last 12 years general manager, of Warner Bros.' studios in Teddington, Eng- land, has been killed "by enemy ac- tion in southern England." accord- ing to word received in N. Y. last week. No other details were gjvieh. Saloman at one time was film stunt man in early days of Holly- wood Death is first known in U. S. pic industry over there since robot planes started operating. He had been with Warners about 30 years. er Sues James, Charges Broken Pact Hollywood, July 11.: Suit against Harry James has been started by Helen Ward, bandleader's former singer, who asks $8,250. Vo- calist asserts she had pact to sing with band for one year but contract was terminated after five months. .'; : Attachment suit has also been filed, tying up James' funds pending superior court hearing and decision. Beatrice Lillie to Stat- in Rose's '7 Lively Arts' Billy Rose has secured Beatrice Lillie for "Seven Liv ely Arts'' he stated early this week. Contact was made by cable and when the Brit- ish comedienne agreed to terms, a contract, was drawn up by Howard E, Reinheimer who has power ef at- torney lor Miss Lillie here. She's been away from Broadway for four years. Manager originally intended to star his former Wife, Fannie Bricc, in "Arts." Show is due into rehearsal Oct. 7 and will relight the Zirgfeld, N. Y., as a.legiter sometime in November or December.